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Bengaluru’s Right to Water Summit sparks crucial debate on regularising the city’s privatewater tankers.

Nav Bharat Democratic Party hosted a Right to Water Summit in the city yesterday. The city’s best minds came together to resolve the looming water crisis. They debated the democratization of water governance, the privatisation of water, the legality of domestic borewells, improving alternative water sources, and the need for a water policy and comprehensive plan for city water management.

Right to Water is Right to Life under Article 21 of our Indian Constitution. The Nav Bharat Democratic Party is working towards ensuring access to quality water for citizens of Bengaluru. Speaking at the event party National President Anil Shetty said: "Water Delayed is Water Denied. The state appears to have abdicated its responsibility of ensuring access to water for every citizen. Consequently, private water tankers seem to run the city today.

The plus 5000 water tankers operating in Bengaluru are a matter of concern over the quality and pricing of water. If Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) finds itself incapable and incompetent in matters of water supply, should they move for the regularization of water supply, and limit their own role to monitoring and quality check only? This is an urgent debate that Bengaluru’s citizens must have. It is the need of the hour."

Speakers at the summit included water conservationist Zen Vishwanath, IISC scientist A R Shivakumar, BBMP restructuring committee member V Ravichandar, Urban Expert R K Mishra,Former Additional Chief Secretary V Balasubramanian, Urban Strategist Ashwin Mahesh,ATREE fellow Sharachandra Lele, Urban Architect Naresh Narasimha and other active voices of Bengaluru.

They ideated over a range of water concerns including lake rejuvenation, sewage treatment,and rainwater harvesting.Nav Bharat Democratic Party’s Right to Water summit aimed to educate citizens about the history of Bengaluru water, the current situation, and future solutions.